With a souped up engine and without MyFord Touch, the 2017 Ford Fusion is a mid-cycle refresher done right.

The current Ford Fusion is a perfectly good car - comfortable, fun to drive, and arguably one of the better choices in the midsize sedan market. But perfectly good doesn’t cut it it anymore, especially when you’re slugging it out with competitors like Honda and Toyota, who aren’t exactly known as being slackers.

Of course, the current Fusion is not without faults, most notably the annoying and distracting MyFord Touch control interface. So a mid-cycle freshening was definitely due.

The interior of the Platinum trim level Fusionis covered in leather, including a hand-stitched leather steering wheel.

(Nick Kurczewski)

The good news is, they haven’t messed with the whole package all that much, including the sleek styling. The better news is, they’ve finally trashed MyFord Touch in favor of the new and much easier to live with Sync3. But the BEST news, at least for gear heads, is the hot new all-wheel-drive V6 Sport version.

The V6 Sport gets a twin-turbocharged version of Ford’s 2.7-liter six-cylinder engine, good for a claimed 325-horsepower, Ford believes this model will leave all competitors in its wake. The Sport also gets continuously controlled damping that monitors the road ahead and adjusts for conditions and potholes in milliseconds. Various go-fast bits complete the look, including 19-inch wheels, more aggressive front and rear styling, and a rear spoiler. And as with other 2017 Fusions, the gearshift for the automatic transmission is controlled by a rotary knob. Sadly, no manual will be available.

The ever-troublesome MyFord Touch control interface has been, mercifully, put out of commission for the 2017 Fusion and replaced with the Synch3 interface.

(Nick Kurczewski)

In other Fusion news, a new Platinum trim level joins the lineup, also available with all-wheel drive but focusing more on luxury than performance. The interior is pretty much covered in leather, including a hand-stitched leather steering wheel that ought to be good for bragging rights at midsize sedan family gatherings.